Materials- 10 Action Oriented Versions of Hype!

I wanted to do as many different types of hype on as many subjects as I could think of. So, here is what I came up with!

The first one started off as an idea from last semester with the "Think Before You Ink!" idea. It was about how women put on make-up not for themselves but, to impress someone. This was also the most simple version of Hype I thought of being a simple "poster".














From here, I thought about the other common ways we see hype around us, and I thought of video. I also thought about how college students are the most sleep deprived community in our culture (according to my psychology textbook). So, I did a short video to hype sleeping.

Original Video - More videos at TinyPic

Next, I was thinking about all the classes I am taking right now and all the other stuff going on and it lead me to think about stress. Another common form of hype (from the D.I.Y. book) is stickers. They can be placed anywhere and are a simple statement of our beliefs.

Looking at the D.I.Y Book I had the idea to wear buttons. They are a little statement of personal beliefs. I put on a statistic from my "Enjoy Your Lunch" project last semester.

Then I thought about other "badges" we wear on our bodies which made me think of tattoos. They are a statement we wear on ourselves forever that people can readily see. I did a measuring tape and the word "sizeism" on the inch marks.

Then I thought about sustainable design and how there is so much trash. I constructed a wearable glove out of recycled newspaper. It was not perm, but, it would provide a temporary use and make people think about how they use and throw away items.

Next, I think I went a little drastic. I was thinking about those New Year's year glasses. I was wondering if you could use them to make a statement, so I did a little banner about universal healthcare.

I am in love with Starbucks, but it's also quite addictive. I was thinking about groups and cults and a lot of them wear arm bands to display their place in the group. I decided to make a Starbucks arm band.

I was thinking about prom season which is coming up. It is always a busy time for me at work. I remembered my prom and how uncomfortable the shoes are. Most heels are horrible for your feet so I made an info tag about the shoes.

The last thing I worked on was a bow. People look at your face and hair a lot through the days and simple icons and symbols can state a belief without any real work behind it. I have a lot of friends who are gay and lesbian and I have always been a supporter for equal rights. So, I made a small pride bow to show support for the gay and lesbian community.

Materials- 1 Design/3 Materials

I want to focus on the idea of the pressure we are given by the media and the way it can make you feel almost uncomfortable at times. The media has created such a hype around the perfect women that it is hard for regular women to feel comfortable in their own skin. For my project, I want to focus particularly on weight and body image. I want to design something that is a hype around the pressure the women feel to be "perfect".

I want it to be a wearable piece. It should constrict and pressure the wearer if not create pain. I want it to have a dual pressure to the viewer and I want them to feel uncomfortable viewing my piece.

I have done some research before into the topic of media pressure and body image last semester so I picked up where I left off and went into the facts of media pressure and body image. The first thing I came across is the Federal Government's education page. Seems like a weird place to start my search but, I found this (http://www2.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/citizen/partx.html). It was exactly what I was talking about!
The fact that the government feels the need to publish these types of articles proves that there is a problem. Why is there a teaching aide for parents to talk to their kids about the pressures of the media? That just seems insane and it shows that no one is immune from their messages.

The media has lead people to question when is skinny too skinny? Everyone agrees when someone is overweight, but it becomes a tough decision for an agreement as to where the point is crossed on being too thin. I want my design to be something that no matter what size you are it is too tight. I want it to wrap around and grip like a claw the way media seizes onto you and grabs you. (http://anorexia-nervosa.suite101.com/article.cfm/medias_unrealistic_body_image) The media has no stopping point for size, and seem to be focused on finding the thinest models possible.

I originally planned for it to be around the waist like a corset. But, there are a few problems with this. First off, in the scope of the project and digital manufacturing it is quite unrealistic. Secondly, I think it has a meaning I do not desire. People seem them as lingerie and as "sexy". I want it to cause discomfort in the viewer, which I do not think any type of corset design will cause.  So, after some discussion I chose to make a cuff that goes on the upper arm. That tends to be an area women feel is not pretty or too fat. They say they can't wear this or that because of "ugly arms". I want the cuff to make you feel uncomfortable so it is logical to put it in an area of discomfort.

Materials - Examples of Hype!

Here are my examples that I found that I consider to be hype.

I think that hype is something visual that creates an implied urge for whatever the intended meaning is. The first two things that always come to mind are Politics and Media. Both I think are the biggest users of "hype".

Politics-

War is one of the main pulls for messages of hype through the use of propaganda. You have to "hype the war" to get the people to pay the money for the war. It's a very complex system. There is also generally rival hype in the pro-war and anti-war camps. Some of the cruelest atrocities done to man were funded and carried out on the proceeds of propaganda.  Making it one of the most powerful motivators around.

Propaganda is generally in print but, it is also in the form of clothing and monuments. One of the largest forms of propaganda in this country is monuments and government facades. They are a form of hype in my opinion because they seek to display "power" and "might" of the government in a subtext. People go to these places almost in a form of a pilgrimage from all over the country.

























Media-
It surrounds us every single day! On the Radio, In Print, On the T.V. it's everywhere. Everything we see tends to have a link to the media in some way. It dictates how we feel about ourselves and others and how we interact with our environment. It makes us hungry, it makes us buy new clothes, it makes us go to the movies. Hype is the key tool for anything to be a success.